Contractor
by Awesome one
Summary: An A/U about Percy bing a contractor and having to fix Annabeths house. Percabeth.


**Okay so this is a story idea Sarah and I came up with a few weeks back. We were swinging on the swings at a child playground (and if you think your to cool to do that even if your as old as me which is almost 18 then your super lame) when I told a joke that made her laugh and say something about a story we wrote (Beautiful Disaster or something like that) and I brought up the fact that we need to write a new story together so we started spouting off ideas that co-ensiled with one another and vah-la! Here this little story was born. Now mind you this first chapter may not be the greatest because Sarah, my cohort in this crime, is absent but future chapters she will be involved. This is our baby after all, it has two parents! I'm not spending all the late nights on this alone! Nope I'll call Dr. Phil and divorce her ass on spot! This is an AU btw. **

…**..Reviewing what I just wrote I have come to the conclusion that I, Jasmin Shira, should not drink Mountain Dew Baja Blast at 9:30 in the morning. Now read. **

**Disclaimer- I do not own reserved rights as they belong to Rick the book writer. I do however own my own creativity I can use to the smear the story he created with enabled fiction I come up with as I read the books he wrote. (Now that's a disclaimer….I feel like the Kool-Aid man is going to break through my wall and yell "OH YEAH!") **

Annabeth sat at her desk tapping the pink eraser nearly used up on her top lip as she starred at the blank blue print laid before her. It wasn't that she didn't have idea's, no it wasn't that at all. Annabeth Chase was the best and most well known of nearly every architect in the United States. She had designed buildings for names so high up she couldn't name them even if she wanted to. The real problem what that she couldn't concentrate with all the hammering and drilling and sawing going on around her. It all started the day Thalia fell through the shower wall.

Annabeth had been sitting at this very same desk when it happened two weeks back. She was just finishing up the final touches on Usher's new Mexican cabaña for his tour bus when her roommate (for that's what she insisted she be called even though they lived in a tri-level mansion in San Francisco with a pool and a hot tub in the back yard) Thalia came home. For Annabeth this meant one of two things, one, that she would no longer have peace and quiet to work in and two, Thalia would be in her office shortly to bother her until they went off to go do something so, on her own accord, Annabeth closed her book and left her office. Thalia was right outside the door, looking a bit perturbed that Annabeth had opened the door before her.

Thalia was a quirky 25 year old that Annabeth had known since she was 7. The Grace family (though as Annabeth recalls it was just Thalia and her mother) had moved in next door to her own family and they played together often though they didn't really become friends until Thalia's mom died in a car crash. It hit Thalia pretty hard, most would say it turned her into the gothic rebel she is now. Annabeth didn't exactly agree. It was Thalia's ex boyfriend Luke that had turned into the gothic rebel, her mothers death had made Thalia afraid of driving and bitter with resentment and the ever constant feeling of guilt. And one might not agree upon first meeting Thalia but she was a genuinely sweet and loyal person…as long as you are on her good side. Though, as Annabeth watched Thalia cock her hand on her hip and give Annabeth an annoyed look, Annabeth could see how people never liked her at first. It was just her appeal. Thalia purposefully made herself unapproachable, even to big angry bikers. Her black hair was, of course, a gothic style cut with bleach white swept bangs and short layers over the longer ones spiked with glitter gel. Her electric blue eyes often scared anyone who looked into them, which she enjoyed, and she was unusually pale though it suited her. It contrasted nice with her dark hair and dark makeup. Her makeup today was thick around the eyes and white on the lips. Her frame was thin from years of running on the cross country team in high school and a bit in college when she went. She usually wore either outrageous or matt black clothing, sometimes a mixture of the both. Today she was dressed in a pair of black Dickies with wear holes that she had sewn patches over, random patches collected at various concerts. A pair of knee high boots with rainbow lacing had most of the bottom of the pants legs tucked into them and along with all this she wore a tight black belt with silver studs on it. She was wearing a Ramones band-T she had cut off to make into a halter top that dipped low in her chest area (though not as though as your picturing) and fell down around her shoulders. The shirt exposed her tattoo's nicely. The Greek lettering of her name on her right shoulder (the two of them were into Greek things, Thalia into the history of the fights and victories. Annabeth being more into the architecture and brilliance of the time like Socrates and Aristotle) Luke's name and death date on the inside of her wrist (Luke had died when he was 19, hiking accident) and a tribal bracelet tattooed around her other wrist. She had a few more but none of those showed unless she was wearing a bikini.

"What are you doing working Annabeth," Thalia whined as she followed Annabeth down the hall and into the kitchen, "It's Saturday. Our day off. Can't you do something fun with me ever?"

"Correction," Annabeth paused only to get into the fridge, pour herself a glass of juice, and take a sip, "It's your day off. Not mine. I still have to finish the blue print for the museum on Craig and the parlor for-"

"Blah blah, you speak Boring and I don't so I don't understand what your saying. All I here is the voice of a deprived woman who hasn't even stopped to realize its my birthday and she owes me a good time. Let's go out dancing and find hot men to kiss." Thalia winked at her best friend who shook her blond head of hair, grey eyes rolling as she did.

"Absolutely not. I don't do that sort of thing."

"Oh that's right. I forgot, you don't believe in a good time."

"That's not true." Annabeth finished her juice and rinsed the glass out, setting it in the sink, "I play scrabble all the time, and I always answer the questions on jeopardy before anyone else playing does. That's fun."

"No, that's lame. You might as well move into the old folks home and help them put together jig saw puzzles."

"Jig saw puzzles are f-"

"No they aren't. God! Annabeth! Your so lame! Your not going to go party with me just this once? It's my birthday come on!" Annabeth bit her lip nervously. Party with Thalia? That could be dangerous. While she loved her best friend to death, Thalia did like to play on the dangerous side of life. Plus, Annabeth watched Thalia sit on the dinner table set for two, Thalia was a very social person. Annabeth would end up getting abandoned and forced to wander the depths of a filth ridden (talking about the men) night club and probably end up getting hit on by a butch lesbian because she always wore guy clothes. Annabeth glanced at herself. She was wearing guy clothes right now. Basket ball shorts and a USC t-shirt 3 sizes to big for her. She didn't enjoy dressing up in a way that promoted her figure. Why should she have too? So sexiest pigs could come drool in her hair? No thanks. On another note, Annabeth wasn't the kind of girl to go out dancing as Thalia put it. She didn't enjoy mingling with men or woman so liquored up their normal low IQ has been lowered to that of a caveman. She enjoyed having meaningful, deep conversations with people and where ever Thalia planned to take them she was sure there would be none of that.

"I don't want to go anywhere Thals. Can't we just order a pizza and watch those movies you like? The b-line lame-o's or behind the stage band movies? We still have to finish that one on the Misfits remember?"

"As tempting as that sounds, it sounds boring at the same time. Why don't we go to a club?" Annabeth groaned, not trying to hide that she had at all. This was what she was trying to avoid at all cost. Luckily for Annabeth she had a large amount of intelligence to use against Thalia.

"I can't dance Thals. Sorry. I can't go there and have fun if I can't dance."

"Bull crap. I saw you dance at your aunts wedding. I saw you _dirty _dance at your aunts wedding. You can't lie to me. I'm your best friend." Silently Annabeth cursed Thalia for being such a considerate friend. Couldn't she just not care sometimes? God.

"Alright fine I just don't feel like going to one of your sleazy clubs." Thalia put a hand over her chest and sucked in a deep breath like Annabeth has just shot her point blank in the heart.

"Sleazy? Sleazy! No. Randy's office aid is sleazy. My club is not. Roberto owns its. It's very nice. You'd stand there for the first 3 hours starring at the ceiling admiring its design." Annabeth paused in her movement, turning around the look at Thalia quizzically.

"Isn't Roberto a member of a gang?" Thalia didn't blink before answering.

"Yep. What's your point?" Annabeth rolled her eyes again (something she did often) and walked into the living room where she flopped on the couch and flipped the channels until it landed on the National Geographic channel. They were doing a special on the sinking of the Titanic. See, Annabeth purred to herself as she hugged a pillow to her chest, this is fun. Thalia is crazy going to ganger clubs with ganger friends and dancing. Thalia threw herself down on the couch next to Annabeth, pouting. She stewed there for 15 minutes, sighing as loudly as she could to intentionally get on Annabeth's nerves, until Annabeth snapped at her.

"Would you quite it! Seriously! It's making me violent inside!"

"But Annabeth it's my birthday and your not even going to do anything with me!"

"That's because all you want to do isn't fun. Its scary and dangerous and….unsanitary."

"What makes you think Roberto's club is unsanitary!"

"Because of the woman who go there."

"Hey….okay I can't argue with that but I want to do something! Pretty please!" Annabeth was the one who sighed loudly this time.

"Like what Thalia! I'm not going to any club or doing anything along the lines of going to a club." Thalia stopped to think for a few minutes, dragging her fingers through the longest layer of her hair which reached just a little past her ears, then sat up grinning.

"Let's go to Wal-Mart! You can get me a birthday present!"

"From Wal-Mart? You don't want anything, I dunno, expensive?"

"No. Give me your credit card, I'll be back in like 20 minutes." Annabeth laughed. Not at the prospect of what she said but at the idea of giving Thalia her credit card, "What's so funny!"

"Not only no, but hell no. You will not nor will you ever get your stamp covered hands on my credit card."

"Then come with me. We'll be in and out in 20."

"Oh fine. Let me put some shoes on."

"Your already wearing shoes dip." Annabeth glanced at her feet, which were shoed. Funny. She didn't recall putting those on. Oh well.

The girls made it to Wal-Mart and back in 20 minutes just as Thalia had said. Annabeth ended up getting Thalia a bottle of cheap wine and hair dye for her birthday. That and a bag of caramel filled Hershey Kisses. She sat on the toilet lid eating them while Annabeth read the instructions on how to use the hair dye.

"Your going to have to wash that glitter gel out of your hair first Thals."

"Why? We are only dying my bangs," Thalia touched the bleach white bangs, "I'll explain as you go. This is your first time but I've been doing this since I was 13. Put the plastic gloves on." Annabeth opened the box and put the rubber gloves on which were a bit too big for her hands so she tied it with a tiny rubber band at the wrist. Thalia leaned forward while Annabeth applied the neon blue dye to the bleached hair, careful not to stain Thalia's skin with it. After that they waited the allotted time, playing Black Jack on the bathroom floor using the Kisses as gambling chips, until it was time for Thalia to wash it.

"Just lean over the sink and wash it there." Annabeth suggested. Thalia, being rebellious as she was, shook her head.

"No it would be quicker to wash it in the shower. I'll just lean over."

"Okay…I guess. Just be careful." Thalia waved her off, confident in herself. However as she was washing her new bright, bright blue bangs that matched the color of her eyes Thalia's foot slipped on a puddle of water that had splashed over the side and she fell forward right through the dry wall which incidentally lead right into her room. She landed on her bedroom floor, the rest of the wall crumbling down into the shower which was still running. Annabeth stood in the bathroom shocked as her wall completely fell into her shower. Thalia quickly jumping up, wiping the white dry wall dust off her jeans, and poked her head through the new opening.

"So…you think this is going to come out of the deposit or what?"

"Thalia Grace, go find the phonebook and call a contractor. This. Instant."

"Poseidon's Water and Wiring, Percy Jackson here, what can I do for you?" Percy had been sitting at his desk with his feet up playing angry birds on his ipod until he had got a phone call around four in the afternoon. It had been a slow day at work, an extremely slow day at work. Percy Jackson was a 24 year old fresh out of college, having put 5 years into schooling to be a journalist, only to end up working for his fathers company. Percy had overlooked that there were just simply no jobs for his line of work right now. So now Percy was back at his old high school job, getting calls then going to fix someone's flooded drain pipes or re-wire an entire house hold because some girl had tried to blow dry her hair while listening to the Backstreet Boys at the same time. As if it wasn't shameful enough, graduating top of your class then going to work as a contractor, Percy was forced to work with his best friend all throughout high school and younger cousin who had never stopped working for his father. Nico DiAngelo and Grover Underwood.

Nico, who sat in a desk to the left in front of Percy's, was a short 21 year old with jet black hair, olive toned skin, and glassy dark eyes. He always wore black, even his "blue" jumpsuit he was ordered to wear while working for Poseidon's Water and Wiring was black because he had colored it with black sharpies. He also had terrible ADHD, constantly tapping the desk or throwing pencils at Grover (who was usually asleep on the job. Percy was really the only one who actually worked) At the moment Percy had received the first call of the day, for they worked 7 days a week until midnight, Nico had been crumpling up company paper and throwing it in a trash can with a trash can basket ball hoop on the other side of the room.

Grover was a slim, tanned man the same age as Percy. He had curly chocolate brown hair hidden under a Rasta cap when he wasn't at work in the office. His eyes were celery green, which just set itself up to be a joke. 'Your eyes are so green Grover because all you eat is green!' Seeing as Grover is a vegetarian. He's very into saving mother earth and free love and all that stuff. The man wore flip flops to work. The fact that he was friends with Death Metal Nico was one of the funniest contrast of the century. Grover had been asleep at the moment of the call.

"Yeah hey, we need someone out here pronto to fix our wall. I fell through it and if it's not fixed immediately Annabeth will kill me. P.S. if I die, this is me telling you who my murder is. Annabeth Chase. I repeat Annabeth Chase. Write it down for when the cops ask." Percy rubbed his temples. Was this person for real? He wasn't in the mood for a prank call right now. He had gone to a job interview earlier today to finally, hopefully, get a job he had gone to school for but the only other call aside from this one he had gotten today was the job possibility calling to tell him it wasn't a possibility.

"I don't have the patience to tolerate this so tell me what's wrong in detail then I'll see what I can do understand?" There was a pause on the other end that Percy took advantage of to grab a yellow pad and a pen out of a drawer in his desk.

"First of all…Ass…I don't have the patience to deal with your attitude. So why don't you just get your happy ass in a truck, drive here, and fix our goddamn wall."

"Why don't you-"

"Hello? I apologize," A new, slightly higher, feminine voice cut his insult off, "Thalia is and isn't a people person. It all depends on her mood. She tripped and fell through the dry wall beside our shower and water is leaking from the ceiling now. I'm-Thalia shut up! I'm on the phone! No you can't have ice cream, you can sit there and shut up! Anyway how fast do you think you could get here to fix it for us?"

Percy jotted down all the potential problems she was saying, "Did you say she fell through the wall? How big is the hole?"

"Well the whole wall fell into the shower clear down to the floor from the ceiling. It didn't start leaking until about 5 minutes before we called you and its leaking onto my hard wood floor. And I swear to god if you don't stop that I will kill you in your sleep!"

Percy paused in his writings, "Excuse me?"

"No not you sorry! My roommate is playing hacky sack with a piece of dry wall. I want to hit her. Do you think you could hurry? Please? This flooring cant take much more of this water. Its oak you know." Percy rolled his eyes. Woman.

"Yes Mam I'll be there shortly with two of my guys, just give me directions and put a bucket under the leaking ceiling."

"Oh. Good idea. Thalia! Get a freaking bucket and stop trying pile the dry wall with your foot or I'll pile you with mine!" Percy rolled his eyes again but paid close attention when she gave him her coordinates, writing them down. Once he had them he politely said goodbye and hung up.

"Nico stop wasting paper and wake Grover up. We have a job. I'll get the truck ready."

"Oh! Don't forget to pack Bruce." Bruce was the pet name Nico had for his sledge hammer.

"Yeah, yeah. Hurry up with it all." Percy grabbed his yellow pad and headed into the garage connected to the office. There was only one truck, seeing as this was a small branch of his fathers company compared to other shops around California. His Uncle Hades (Percy would never understand why his grandma would name her two sons after Greek gods. It just made no sense) owned a law firm full of a bunch of blood thirsty lawyers waiting to damn anyone who is against their client in court to hell. Uncle Hades had offered Percy a job as an assistant to one of these lawyers however, for fear that they may suck his blood and he may wake up like them, he chose to just work for his father again instead. It was days like these that made him regret that decision. He sighed as he sat in the front seat, waiting for the diesel engine to warm up and for Nico to get his ass along with Grover's out here. While he waited he returned to his game of angry birds. The ipod had been a gift from his ex girlfriend, Rachel Dare, supreme leader of New York. Percy had grown up in New York but when he decided to choose a college for writing and Rachel a college for graphic design, their paths separated. Percy came to California to go to UCLA, while Rachel stayed in New York. They had tried for a long distance relationship but it didn't work out so well. So on top of being jobless of the job he wanted, Percy was single. He shook his head at his own pathetic existence. His thoughts were disturbed when Nico and Grover climbed into the truck through the passenger side.

"Did you pack Bruce? I have a feeling I'm going to need it." Percy sighed as he began to pull out of the garage.

"You always say that Nico."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Yeah I did you skinny creep."

"Man who pissed in your cheerio's this morning?"

"Shut up Nico. Grover are you awake finally?"

"Yeah and I'm totally craving an enchilada. Can we stop and get some on the way?" For the third time that day, Percy sighed.

"We are on call. That means we have a job to go to, we don't have time Grover. We'll get sued."

"No we won't, Nico's dad is a lawyer."

"Shut up. Both of you, until we get there." As it were Percy wouldn't get that silence until he stopped at a Taco Time and got Grover and Nico enchiladas. The rest of the ride was spent in silence while Percy continuously glanced down at his yellow pad to make sure he was going the right way. Finally he found himself driving up a tar pathway lined with rose bushes up to a tri-level house made of what looked like stone and wooden beams. It was a beautifully crafted home. Percy noted that this was probably the nicest house they had ever been called out to.

With a sigh he climbed out of the truck and went around to the back, opening up a side compartment he kept his tool belt in. First thing he did was slip his jumpsuit on, as all employees were demanded to do when working, though he only pulled it waist high, tying the sleeves around his hips. It always bothered him to have the restriction of movement. Then he slung his tool belt over his shoulder. Before he walked around the other side to see if Nico and Grover were dressed down, Percy glanced in a mirror glued to the inside of the compartment. His black hair wasn't shoulder length like Nico's but it was long enough for him to comb back, which he did. It wasn't like he was going on a date or anything it was just that his mother, Sally, had always told him that he needed to look his best when meeting new people. Satisfied with his hair, he closed the compartment and went to check on Nico and Grover. Nico was dressed in his black jumpsuit and had Bruce, his sledge hammer, on his shoulder. Check. Grover was wearing his blue jumpsuit and putting work boots on. Check. Both dunderheads read to go.

The trio made their way to the door and knocked on it a couple times before two of the most beautiful woman Percy had ever seen opened the door.

One of them wasn't exactly what Percy liked, and seemed a little more down Nico's ally but was still beautiful in her own rights. Black hair, with what looked like blue bangs. Blue eyes. Thin…oh yeah she was definitely Nico's type. She introduced herself as Thalia.

The other woman was the one that caught Percy's eye. She had golden curls that reached to just the middle of her back and the most beautiful grey eyes. Their irregularity is what made them even more interesting. Her figure, though hidden by baggy clothes, Percy could tell was thin and muscular with a delightful Californian tan. Percy felt his stupidity grow each second he stared into those wonderful eyes. She introduced herself as Annabeth, owner of the home.

"Hey I've heard of you!" Grover yelled enthusiastically, "Your the architect that never tears down nature preserves or forest to build new buildings! You're my hero!"

"Ah, well, thanks. My cousin Juniper is an environmentalist with a bit of a temper so if I do anything to hurt Mother Nature she'll kill me in my sleep."

"That's touching. Nice to know there are still some sensible people out there."

"Ah….thanks?"

"Yeah yeah," Thalia cut in, dragging the boys into the house and shutting the door then casually looping her arm around Percy's, "All that daisy cutter stuff aside, who might you be Mr. Tall Dark and Sexy?"

"Thalia!" Annabeth yelled indignantly, "I'm really sorry. You'll have to forgive her insanity."

Percy shrugged, "It's okay. I'm Percy. Percy Jackson. Nice to meet you. That twig of a man over there is my cousin Nico DiAngelo. And the other one that is staring at the plate on your table like its food is Grover Underwood."

"Percy. I like it." Thalia purred. Annabeth felt an anger she had never felt before. It was different, it put a bitter taste in her mouth and a knot in her stomach. What was this feeling called? Jealousy. That was it. If you had asked Annabeth before she met Percy Jackson if she wanted a boyfriend she would have told you, No I have my career but seeing Percy's cavalier hair style, sea green eyes, and deep tan from a summer spent on a beach she felt like a school girl with a crush. Something she, Annabeth Chase, had never felt before. She both loved the feeling and despised the man for creating the feeling deep inside her.

"Do you like my name?" Nico asked. Thalia turned, acting like she noticed him for the first time. She looked him over head to toe then turned back to Percy, ignoring Nico's comment completely. Nico visibly slumped.

"So could you show us to which room has the problem?" Percy tactfully pulled his arm out of Thalia's grip, addressing Annabeth. She nodded and silently walked up a flight of stairs with Percy close behind. Thalia stood there between Grover and Nico, her mouth hung open. Rejected!

"So…" Grover started, "This cousin, Juniper…..is she hot?"

Upstairs Percy assed the damage of the bathroom. Annabeth watched while trying to hide the blush on her cheeks. Damn this man! And damn his handsome features! And damn those muscles that are so tempting! Annabeth shook herself. Where was her head? She had just met this stupid Plummer, he probably didn't know right from left and here she blushing because she could see the outline of his stomach muscles through his white t-shirt. What would her mother say? Annabeth knew exactly what Athena would say, she would say, "Daughter you don't need a man in your life. You're a strong, independent woman." And she was right but as Annabeth watched Percy work from the doorway, she wondered if her mom was maybe wrong.

Percy seemed to notice Annabeth watching him (how could he not?) because he turned to her and said, "I can patch the leak for tonight but this is about 3 days work right here. Maybe four since I'm the only one who will actually do any real work. But like I said I can patch the leak temporarily and be back here tomorrow first thing to start work. How's that sound?"

"That….that sounds just great. I…I'll um, I mean I'll go tell I'm going to let Thalia know okay? Alright. Right." Annabeth turned quickly to leave and hit her knee on the doorway hard. Pain exploded at the area's that made contact with the wood but not to a staggering extent. She grabbed her knee and bounced a bit, feeling she made herself look like a total ass. Percy laughed lightly.

"Be careful. Oh and send the two buffoons up here to help me could you?"

"Okay." Annabeth mumbled stupidly before walking away as fast as she could to find Thalia. When she did, she found her sitting on the couch between Nico and Grover conversing.

"It's my birthday."

"Is it?" Nico asked. Grover was on the phone so he wasn't in the conversation.

"Yup. What are you going to give me?"

"Oh! What do you want!"

"That."

"What?"

"Nothing. You want a kiss?"

"Really!"

"Yeah here." Nico closed his eyes, expecting a kiss which made Thalia laugh, he opened his eyes looking at her embarrassed, "What?"

"Here." She pulled a chocolate kiss out of her pocket and handed it to Nico. He seemed let down but thanked her for it before eating it. This is about the time Annabeth entered the room.

"Thals, leave them alone they have work to do. Percy wants you upstairs. Just go straight down the hall then turn left at the picture of Thalia line dancing on a table, the bathroom is the last door on that hall."

"Okie doke. Come on Nico." Grover had finished his call. Nico hefted Bruce over his shoulder and followed Grover up the stairs. Once they were out of sight Annabeth fell in a heap on the couch beside Thalia.

"I like them. You should break walls more often Annabeth."

"Excuse you! It was YOU who broke my wall and if you ever break another one I will kick you out."

"No you wont you love me far to much."

"Shut up Thalia."

**Well that's the first chapter. As you can see it doesn't really follow Ricks book hardly at all, just his people. If you don't like it then by all means flame me and leave. But seriously if you don't like it, flame me, then continue to read it? Well that defeats your own cause doesn't it? However if you do like it, thanks. I'll have the next chapter for you soon. I am, as of right now, about to pass out. Getting up at 6 in the morning and jogging until 8:30 then coming home to work all day has got me tired. So off I go. **

**Much love,**

**Awesome One**


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